Spain and reigning European champions Italy each gained their opening matches at Euro 2024, and can now face off in Gelsenkirchen on Thursday.
However each side endured differing performances of their respective encounters, with La Roja cruising to a 3-0 victory over Croatia to sentence their opponents to joint-heaviest ever defeat at a serious worldwide event.
Nonetheless, Luciano Spalletti’s pre-match phrases would nonetheless have been ringing in his Italy gamers’ ears when Nedim Bajrami’s objective after 23 seconds gave Albania a shock lead – the quickest objective ever scored on the European Championships.
But two objectives in 5 minutes from Alessandro Bastoni and Nicolo Barella ensured the Italians’ quest of turning into the second group to win back-to-back Euros tournaments after Thursday’s opponents did in 2008 and 2012.
This would be the eleventh encounter between Spain and Italy at a serious event, throughout the Euros (eight) and World Cup (three), a file between two European nations.
It’s the fifth consecutive European Championship event at which they’ve met going again to 2008, additionally a file.
Right here, we delve into the Opta information to preview Thursday’s sport.
Work onerous, play onerous.#VamosEspaña | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/TNcpOIuJCv
— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) June 18, 2024
What’s anticipated?
Regardless of Italy solely dropping considered one of their 10 matches in opposition to Spain within the Euros and World Cup (W4 D5) – that sole defeat got here within the remaining at Euro 2012 – La Roja are given a forty five.8 per cent likelihood of creating it two wins from two at Euro 2024.
Nonetheless, Spain has had the higher of their earlier conferences with Italy, successful their final two encounters, each within the Nations League, however have by no means gained three consecutive matches in opposition to the Azzurri.
La Roja has additionally prevailed in all three of their earlier European Championship conferences with the reigning champions of the competitors, reaching the ultimate in every version.
The Spanish will take confidence from their opening show in opposition to Croatia, having outperformed their anticipated objectives (xG) by 0.99 per cent, however might be hopeful of changing extra of their large possibilities, having missed 4 in Berlin.
Italy was additionally in a position to outscore their xG, however by a smaller margin of 0.44, however managed simply 5 photographs heading in the right direction in opposition to Albania from the 17 they tried.
As in lots of main tournaments, being medical might show decisive, and this group particularly, may very well be the distinction between staying in Germany or packing your luggage for the subsequent flight residence.
The Opta supercomputer ranks Italy’s possibilities at 27.5 per cent.
Calafiori and Bastoni taking the mantle from Chiellini and Bonucci
Their comeback success in opposition to Albania noticed them win their opening encounter in 4 consecutive European Championships and the World Cup for the primary time of their historical past, and they’re going to look to construct on that in opposition to the Spanish.
The Italians have typically relied on the expertise and know-how of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci to put a stable basis for achievement however entered Euro 2024 with the sixth-youngest squad (26.5).
A lot was stated of Spalletti’s squad choice heading into the event, with many believing they might be proved proper after they have been pegged again early on in opposition to Albania.
However the exuberance of youth shone by, notably in Riccardo Calafiori, who starred in Bologna’s qualification for the Champions League within the 2023-24 season, after which shined on the worldwide stage in his third look for his nation.
2 – Riccardo #Calafiori (22 years and 27 days) is the second youngest Italy’s defender to play a match in European Championships historical past, after Paolo Maldini (19 years and 350 days, on tenth June 1988 in opposition to Germany). Impulse. #EURo2024 #ITAALB #ItaliaAlbania pic.twitter.com/2kKWNHW1iS
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) June 15, 2024
The 22-year-old had the joint-most interceptions (three), most duels gained (six), and gained all three of his aerial duels in opposition to a bodily Albania aspect on his worldwide event debut.
Partnering with Bastoni, who scored the Italian’s equaliser in opposition to Albania, Spalletti could have discovered a brand new partnership that sticks with the defensive values that have been pivotal to their success in recent times.
No extra Tiik-taka?
La Roja, over time, have been famend for his or her possession play throughout their worldwide successes, however their conquer Croatia noticed them discover a completely different method to win.
Spain had much less possession than their opponents (47 per cent) for the primary time in a aggressive match for the reason that Euro 2008 remaining in opposition to Germany (46 per cent), ending a run of 136 video games wherein they’d extra of the ball.
With a midfield trio of Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, and Pedri, Luis de la Fuente has a composed mix of expertise and youth, with the self-discipline and composure instilled inside them at membership stage to make sure they don’t seem to be passing for passing sake.
All three averaged a cross completion above 87 per cent, with Rodri (87.7 per cent) the least environment friendly in that regard. However accompanying their gifted midfield is an thrilling entrance line who have been at their medical finest in opposition to Croatia.
The emergence of Lamine Yamal, who turned the youngest participant to function for La Roja on the Euros, had essentially the most touches within the opposition field (six), created the joint-most possibilities (three), and grabbed an help for Dani Carvajal’s first worldwide objective.
Alvaro Morata, who’s captaining his aspect for the primary time at a serious event, turned Spain’s outright second-highest goalscorer at main worldwide tournaments, behind solely David Villa (13).
Certainly, in European Championship historical past, solely Cristiano Ronaldo and Michel Platini have netted extra objectives than Morata (seven).
Spain will proceed to boast nearly all of possession in most of their upcoming fixtures, however underneath De la Fuente, they’ve discovered a brand new manner of enjoying.
7 – Solely Cesc Fàbregas (8 – 3 objectives, 5 assists) has been concerned in additional #EUROs objectives for #Spain than Álvaro Morata (7 – 7 objectives, the identical as Fernando Torres and David Silva). Reference. #Euro2024 pic.twitter.com/dfGTdjuai3
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) June 15, 2024
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Italy – Nicolo Barella
Through the years, the Italy midfield has been stuffed with a plethora of expertise that has gained worldwide honours. Nicolo Barella might be thought to be a type of ought to he assist the Azzurri clinch their second straight Euros crown.
Barella has been straight concerned in 5 objectives in his final seven appearances for Italy (two objectives, three assists), along with his strike in opposition to Albania seeing him rating in successive worldwide appearances for the primary time since June 2019.
The Inter midfielder’s mixture of tenacity and composure was on present as soon as extra, finishing 105 of his 108 passes within the Azzurri’s opening sport of the event, the very best cross completion charge (97.2 p.c) of those that featured within the beginning line-up.
10 – Among the many gamers at the moment within the Italian nationwide group Nicolò #Barella has scored essentially the most objectives for the Azzurri (10). Star. #EURo2024 #ITAALB pic.twitter.com/B2RIhHFw2H
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) June 15, 2024
The saying of the battle being gained in midfield is usually thrown round quite lazily in fashionable soccer, however this definitely may very well be the case in Gelsenkirchen.
Spain – Fabian Ruiz
Trying to halt the Italian midfield might be Ruiz, who marked his twenty fourth look for his nation with simply his third worldwide objective in opposition to Croatia.
The 28-year-old was straight concerned in two of Spain’s three objectives of their opening sport, aiding Alvaro Morata and scoring La Roja’s second.
Since making his nationwide group debut in June 2019, solely Jordi Alba (9) has made extra assists for Spain than the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder (eight).
However Ruiz’s defensive self-discipline additionally aided Spain in preserving a clear sheet in opposition to Croatia, with the previous Napoli star successful 4 of his 5 duels through the contest in Berlin, whereas additionally having a cross accuracy of 90.7 per cent from 54 tried passes.
